Structure of driving unit in drum type washing machine for commerical use

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use, and more particularly, to a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use that is capable of at any time supplying oil to bearings fitted onto the outer periphery of a driving shaft so as to smoothly rotate the driving shaft and prevent the bearings from being damaged or broken, and is capable of immediately discharging washing water in a tub to the outside, when washing water flows to the driving unit during the rotation of the driving shaft. The structure of the driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use can supply oil at any time to the interior of the driving unit through the first and second oil supply holes formed on the casing and the third packing member, thereby preventing the first and second bearings from being worn out and helping the driving shaft more smoothly rotated.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to International Application PCT/KR2006/004919 filed on Nov. 22, 2006 which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0007181 filed on Jan. 24, 2006.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use, and more particularly, to a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use that is capable of at any time supplying oil to bearings fitted onto the outer periphery of a driving shaft so as to smoothly rotate the driving shaft and prevent the bearings from being damaged or broken, and is capable of immediately discharging washing water in a tub to the outside, when washing water flows into the driving unit during the rotation of the driving shaft.

2. Related Art

Generally, a washing machine is a machine that is constructed to rotate a cylindrical drum into which laundry and washing water are accommodated so as to wash the laundry. There are two kinds of washing machines, first of which is a drum type washing machine that has a drum disposed around a horizontal shaft, such that while the drum is being rotated in forward and backward directions with respect to the horizontal shaft, laundry is moved upwardly and dropped along the inner periphery of the drum, thereby conducting the washing for the laundry, and second of which is an erected washing machine that has a drum with a pulsator provided at the inside thereof disposed around a vertical shaft, such that while the drum is being rotated in forward and backward directions with respect to the vertical shaft, laundry is washed through the water currents generated by the pulsator.

The drum type washing machines are made for home and commercial use. In other words, the drum type washing machine for home has relatively small size and capacity, and contrarily, the drum type washing machine for commercial use has relatively large size and capacity.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an internal structure of a conventional drum type washing machine for commercial use, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing a driving unit in the conventional drum type washing machine. As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional drum type washing machine 10 includes a housing 12 forming an outer appearance thereof, a cylindrical tub 14 disposed horizontally at the inside of the housing 12 for accommodating washing water therein, a cylindrical drum 16 rotatably disposed at the inside of the tub 14 and having a plurality of dewatering holes on the circumference thereof, a driving motor 18 generating a driving force, and a driving unit 30 for rotating the drum 16 with the rotating force of the driving motor 18.

Further, the front face of the housing 12 is opened such that laundry is put in or drawn from the drum 16, and a door 13 is coupled by hinge means to the front face of the housing 12 for opening or closing the drum 16. The drum 16 has a plurality of lifters equally spaced apart along the inner circumference thereof such that as the drum 16 is rotated, the laundry is pulled upwardly and then dropped at a given height.

Also, the housing 12 generally has a water supply hose and a washing powder casing provided on the upper side thereof.

Referring briefly to the operation of the conventional drum type washing machine 10 under the above configuration, if the washing water in which the washing power of the washing powder casing is added thereto is supplied to the tub 14 through the water supply hose, first, it is charged to a given height into the drum 16 where the laundry is put through the plurality of dewatering holes formed on the circumference of the drum 16. Next, the driving motor 18 is actuated, and thereby, the driving unit 30 that is connected to the driving motor 18 is actuated, such that the drum 16 coupled to the driving unit 30 is rotated in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, thereby conducting the washing for the laundry.

At this time, referring to FIG. 2 that is an enlarged sectional view showing the driving unit 30 rotating the drum 16 in the conventional drum type washing machine, the driving unit 30 includes a casing 38 coupled to the tub 14 in such a manner as to cover the interior of the driving unit 30, a driving shaft 32 coupled to a pulley 20 coupled by means of a belt 22 with the driving motor 18 at one end thereof and coupled to the drum 16 at the other end thereof in such a manner as to be extended to the interior of the casing 38, first and second bearings 34 a and 34 b disposed at the both end portions of the casing 38 in such a manner as to be fitted around the driving shaft 32, thereby making the driving shaft 32 smoothly rotated, and first and second packing members 36 a and 36 b disposed in the vicinity of the first bearing 34 a and a third packing member 36 c disposed at the inside of the second bearing 34 b, the first to third bearings adapted for preventing the washing water charged in the tub 14 from leaking toward the casing 38.

Further, the casing 38 has a discharging hole 39 disposed at the lower end portion thereof such that if the washing water is passed through the first packing member 36 a, it can be just discharged to the outside.

Referring briefly to the operation of the driving unit 30 under the above-mentioned structure, as the driving shaft 32 that is coupled to the pulley 20 fastened to the driving motor 18 by means of the belt 22 is rotated, the drum 16 starts to rotate. At this time, if oil that is initially supplied to the first and second bearings 34 a and 34 b fitted around the driving shaft 32 for smoothly rotating the driving shaft 32 is lost, the driving shaft 32 is not rotated at all in a smooth manner. In other words, when the driving shaft 32 is rotated at a high speed for long hours, the oil supplied to the first and second bearings 34 a and 34 b is all consumed, such that there occurs a problem that the first and second bearings 34 a and 34 b are even damaged or broken by the loss of the rotating force of the driving shaft 32, which needs their replacement.

Additionally, when the first and second packing members 36 a and 36 b are worn out, the washing water that are passed through the first and second packing members 36 a and 36 b remains in a space portion between the first bearing 34 a and the second bearing 34 b, thereby causing the malfunctions of the washing machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use that is capable of at any time supplying oil to bearings fitted onto the outer periphery of a driving shaft so as to smoothly rotate the driving shaft and prevent the bearings from being damaged or broken, and is capable of immediately discharging washing water into a tub to the outside, when the washing water flows into the driving unit during the rotation of the driving shaft.

To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use that includes a driving shaft coupled to a drum for transmitting a driving force of a driving motor to the drum, first and second bearings fitted onto the outer periphery of the driving shaft at the both end portions of the driving shaft, first and second packing members disposed in the vicinity of one side of the first bearing for preventing washing water in a tub from leaking to the interior of the driving unit, a third packing member disposed at one side of the second bearing for tightly packing the second bearing, and a casing adapted for covering the interior of the driving unit, wherein the casing has a first oil supply hole disposed on the upper portion thereof for at any time supplying oil to the first bearing fitted onto the outer periphery of the driving shaft and has first and second discharging holes disposed on the lower portion thereof for rapidly discharging the washing water in the tub leaking to the inside of the casing to the outside.

Preferably, the third packing member has a second oil supply hole formed thereon for supplying oil to the second bearing formed at the inside thereof.

Preferably, the first and second bearings are opened at one side thereof in such a manner as to abut against the packing members adjacent thereto for preventing the oil supplied through the opened side from being easily lost.

According to the present invention, there is provided a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use that can supply oil at any time to the interior of the driving unit through the first and second oil supply holes formed on the casing and the third packing member, thereby preventing the first and second bearings from being worn out and helping the driving shaft more smoothly rotated.

Further, the casing is provided with the first and second discharging holes on the lower end portion thereof, such that the washing water leaking to the inside of the casing of the driving unit can be soon discharged, thereby completely preventing the malfunctions and frequent troubles of the washing machine from occurring due to the moisture in the driving unit.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an internal structure of a conventional drum type washing machine for commercial use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing a driving unit in the conventional drum type washing machine.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the internal structure of the drum type washing machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

Hereinafter, an explanation of a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use will be given with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing a structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the internal structure of the drum type washing machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 showing the enlarged sectional view for the driving unit in the drum type washing machine according to the present invention, it is understood that the structure is different from that of the conventional drum type washing machine.

According to the present invention, a driving unit 50 in a drum type washing machine for commercial use includes a casing 54 attached to a tub 14 in such a manner as to cover the interior of the driving unit 50, a driving shaft 32 coupled to a pulley 22 at one end thereof and coupled to a drum 16 at the other end thereof in such a manner as to be extended to the interior of the casing 54, first and second bearings 52 a and 52 b disposed at the both end portions of the casing 54 in such a manner as to be fitted around the driving shaft 32, thereby making the driving shaft 32 smoothly rotated, and first and second packing members 36 a and 36 b disposed at the outside of the first bearing 52 a and a third packing member 36 c disposed at the outside of the second bearing 52 b.

In this case, the casing 54 has a first oil supply hole 56 disposed on the upper portion thereof for at any time supplying oil to the first bearing 52 a fitted onto the outer periphery of the driving shaft 32 and has first and second discharging holes 59 a and 59 b disposed on the lower portion thereof for rapidly discharging the washing water in the tub 14 leaking to the inside of the casing 54 to the outside.

At this time, general bearings include three types having both opened sides, one opened side, and both closed sides. The bearings of type having both opened sides may lose the supplied oil easily, such that they are applied to small-sized equipment where oil supply is not almost needed, and the bearings of type having both closed sides may be closed after oil is supplied thereto, such that since oil is not supplied again, they are not used well. On the other hand, the bearings of type having one opened side may lose the supplied oil at appropriate time, such that since oil is supplied at any time, they are widely used.

Thus, the structure of the driving unit in the drum type washing machine according to the present invention preferably employs the first and second bearings 52 a and 52 b of type having one opened side, and also, so as to prevent the oil supplied to the bearings from being easily lost, the opened sides of the first and second bearings 52 a and 52 b abut against the faces of the second and third packing members 36 b and 36 c.

Preferably, the third packing member 36 c has a second oil supply hole 58 formed thereon for supplying oil to the second bearing 52 b formed at the inside thereof.

At this time, the first and second oil supply holes 56 and 58 formed on the casing 54 and the third packing member 36 c may be in a shape of a through hole, but preferably, they are of a nipple having a stopper for preventing dust or foreign materials from entering into the inside thereof.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the internal structure of the drum type washing machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein since the structure of the present invention is the same as of the conventional drum type washing machine, its explanation is avoided in the below description.

The drum type washing machine 10 according to the present invention includes the housing 12 forming an outer appearance thereof, the cylindrical tub 14 disposed horizontally at the inside of the housing 12 for accommodating washing water therein, the cylindrical drum 16 rotatably disposed at the inside of the tub 14 and having a plurality of dewatering holes on the circumference thereof, the driving motor 18 generating a driving force, and the driving unit 50 for rotating the drum 16 with the rotating force of the driving motor 18.

According to the structure of the driving unit 50 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, oil can be supplied at any time to the first and second bearings 52 a and 52 b through the first and second oil supply holes 56 and 58 formed on the casing 54 and the third packing member 36 c by using an implement like a syringe at the outside, thereby preventing the first and second bearings 52 a and 52 b from being abraded and helping the driving shaft 32 more smoothly rotated.

As the driving shaft 32 is smoothly rotated, the drum 16 coupled to the driving shaft 32 is rotated in a gentle manner. Therefore, the drum type washing machine 10 according to the present invention generates relatively low noise and has very little malfunction probability.

Further, the first and second discharge holes 59 a and 59 b are formed on the lower end portions of the both sides of the casing 54, and when the first and second packing members 36 a and 36 b are abraded, the first and second discharge holes 59 a and 59 b serve to just discharge the washing water leaking to the inside of the casing 54 to the outside. Thus, the drum type washing machine 10 according to the present invention prevents malfunctions and frequent trouble from occurring due to the moisture in the inside of the casing 54.

The structure of the driving unit in the drum type washing machine for commercial use has oil supply holes formed on a casing and a packing member such that the driving unit can have an advantage of long-term usage, which is very useful in the industrial fields.

As various modifications could be made to the exemplary embodiments, as described above with reference to the corresponding illustrations, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

1. A structure of a driving unit in a drum type washing machine for commercial use, the structure comprising a driving shaft coupled to a drum for transmitting a driving force of a driving motor to the drum, first and second bearings fitted onto the outer periphery of the driving shaft at both end portions of the driving shaft, first and second packing members disposed in the vicinity of one side of the first bearing for preventing washing water in a tub from leaking to the interior of the driving unit, a third packing member disposed at one side of the second bearing for tightly packing the second bearing, and a casing adapted for covering the interior of the driving unit, wherein the casing has a first oil supply hole disposed on the upper portion thereof for at any time supplying oil to the first bearing fitted onto the outer periphery of the driving shaft and has first and second discharging holes disposed on the lower portion thereof for rapidly discharging the washing water in the tub leaking to the inside of the casing to the outside.
 2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the third packing member has a second oil supply hole formed thereon for supplying oil to the second bearing formed at the inside thereof.
 3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the first and second bearings are opened at one sides thereof in such a manner as to abut against the second and third packing members for preventing the oil supplied through the opened sides from being easily lost.
 4. The structure according to claim 2 wherein the first and second bearings are opened at one sides thereof in such a manner as to abut against the second and third packing members for preventing the oil supplied through the opened sides from being easily lost. 